Stud and Lobby Reads

This is a short and rather basic look at opponents. I’m using it for stud. It is an ideal game to use this added read.

In stud you need to follow the cards exposed during play. It has a big effect on the value of the hand you are holding. You get good reads when you see people playing cards that have one or two mates showing. At my tables, I’ve seen three up aces and all three will join the hand. Stud is a game where you can take notes to your advantage.

If you ignore the exposed cards you are at a disadvantage against those who are keeping track. That’s why you want to take a gander at the lobby. There are a number of folks who multi-table stud. You have to assume they aren’t using software that can track the ups. There is one application that does but it doesn’t multi-table.

You can see that it would take a idiot savant to be able to multi-table stud effectively. With that discountable, we’re left with a fellow play a rote form of poker. You can see them grinding that out in the flop games to their benefit. In both they are playing a pattern with tendencies. But, it stud they lose a lot more because the known cards played affect the odds. When one or more cards that would help your hand have been folded and you aren’t aware of it, the odds moved across the table.

It is easier to identify that player’s tendencies and rely on such a read having greater reliability when he’s multi-tabling. So, browse the lobby to find those who make it a habit. Even if he isn’t doing it at the moment, he’s more likely to be a rote player that doesn’t change gears or quickly reverts to his basic plan. He’s likely to have a weaker understanding of odds.

So, browse the lobby. When you see a multi-tabler, drop into that session and bring up note taking. Even if he won’t be at your table today, you may see him tomorrow and start with a bit of help you wouldn’t have otherwise.